Shiromani Akali Dal targets Rahul over 1984 riots remarks

New Delhi: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday took potshots at Rahul Gandhi for his comments that the Congress government had tried to stop the 1984 riots in Delhi, alleging that the party had shielded individuals who were involved in the ‘carnage’ against the Sikhs.

"Rahul Gandhi says that Narendra Modi was responsible for the 2002 riots in Gujarat because he was the Chief Minister. Then what about his father who was the Prime Minister when the carnage against Sikhs took place in Delhi," SAD leader Naresh Gujral said.

The SAD leader that several prominent people, including his father IK Gujral (former Prime Minister), Retd General JS Aurora, former Air force chief Arjan Singh, repeatedly went to the then President and the Home Minister during the 1984 riots in Delhi, but both of them expressed helplessness.

He said that the police in Delhi did not fire even a single bullet at the rioters and there was delay in calling the army in during the 1984 riots.

Drawing a contrast with Gujarat riots of 2002, Gujral said that several people from the majority as well as the minority community were killed in police firing.

"Several hundred people including a former Gujarat minister have been jailed for the 2002 riots but those accused of gruesome crimes in 1984 have been protected and even made MPs," Gujral said.

Gujral was reacting on Rahul Gandhi's remarks that the Modi government was responsible for ‘abetting and pushing’ the 2002 Gujarat riots while the Congress government tried to stop the 1984 riots.

He also attacked Rahul Gandhi over his stance over corruption and questioned why the Congress has no problem with tie-ups with tainted leaders.